‘Irregardless’ trends on Twitter after Collins impeachment speech

Rep. Doug Collins’s (R-Ga.) usage of the word “irregardless” in remarks he made during the House’s debate over the impeachment of President Trump on Wednesday, prompted the term to surge to Twitter’s list of top trending items.

The moment came shortly after Collins stood up on the House floor to take aim at House Democrats over the handling of the impeachment inquiry into Trump’s dealings in the Ukraine, calling the process partisan in nature. 

“But there is one thing that I will mention all along, and that is, also, the Founders were very concerned about a partisan impeachment, in which politics of the majority who have their strength can do what they want to do, irregardless of any facts,” Collins said.

Irregardless pic.twitter.com/awvdntohmE

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) December 18, 2019

His usage of “irregardless,” a controversial term that is used by some instead of the word “regardless,” immediately went viral online. Within hours of his remarks, over 11,000 tweets have been posted with the term. 

When one is wearing a microphone, one needn’t yell.

Also, “irregardless” is not a word, including on the House floor. Especially on the House floor.

— Connie Schultz (@ConnieSchultz) December 18, 2019

Irregardless ain’t a word.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 18, 2019

Oop! The 1st “irregardless” has been spoken. Give it up for Rep. Doug Collins. pic.twitter.com/yiVncc7AQ9

— ImAHenson (@henson_im) December 18, 2019

Doug Collins should be impeached for using the non-word “irregardless” on the House floor.

— Adam Wren (@adamwren) December 18, 2019

Did Doug Collins just say irregardless??? #TrumpImpeachment pic.twitter.com/BmuH9UITgL

— Janelle (@JayEnDee416) December 18, 2019

Irregardless, Doug Collins is a hack and a fool.

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) December 18, 2019

Others were quick to also note the moment’s arrival a week after the third season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” dropped, during which the show’s main character, Miriam, engaged in a hotly-contested debate with her husband over usage of the word.

“Irregardless” was not a word when it was said in season 3 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It still wasn’t a word when Rep. Doug Collins said it on the floor of the House about 90 seconds ago.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself!

— Akbar Shahid Ahmed (@AkbarSAhmed) December 18, 2019

Can @MaiselTV chime in with a clip since “irregardless” is currently trending on Twitter? #MrsMaisel pic.twitter.com/d7COI8E6dS

— Morgan Gstalter (@morgGstalt) December 18, 2019

The moment even prompted Dictionary.com to weigh in on the controversy from its official Twitter account.

Irregardless first appeared in the early 20th century and was perhaps popularized by its use in a comic radio program of the 1930s.https://t.co/poNUV0m8cJ https://t.co/ds3EkyLeR7

— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) December 18, 2019

The controversial use of the word, or non-word by many’s standards, has earned “irregardless” its own Wikipedia page. Its usage is listed as “nonstandard” by a number of dictionaries, including Oxford.